Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1887-06-09
TWO C.5.y.DED.fTES,

I Stephen Hackett was, for the third
time in his life. looking out for a pair
OF black cotton gloves to wear to his
departed pardner's" funeral. He did
not mourn to the extent of weed, as
the old hat he had worn so long,
through storm and shine, would hard
iy support such dignity. But it was
necessary to draw the line somewhere,
and he drew it at the gloves.
His horn like hands looked unused
to such pomps and vanities of life, but
ne considered them respectful to the
memory Of his wife, and so went into
the extravaganza. If he could have
forecast matters, he might have bought
all three pairs at once, at reduced
rate; and no doubt he would, as he
was a saving man. But there are lin
It's to everyone's ability to make and
save.
The neighbors, sitting about the
store, asked the customary mortuary
questions, partly from sympathy, but
much more from the curiosity always
felt in such details.
Miss Hackett had been ailing quite
a spell" he said, "but she wasn't
thought in the least dangerous. May
be she was weaker than any body knew
of, fsF-si.e dfSfP~i---l9ie brimning
pan Of new milk, one night, when she
went to set it on the buttry shelf. l
thought likely she had stumbled over
that plaguy old cat eff hers, and said
as much. | often have to kick that
cat out ef my way; but my wife set
such store by it, | thought l wouldn't
have it drownded. But as / was say
ing, the cat wasn't about, and like as
not, Mss Hackett was feeling poorly
before she began to complain. But
she did her own washing on Monday
and now she is gone 1t is such a
sudden, mysterious dispensation to
me " And ne took out his yellow
bandana with much emotion.
1t certainly was sudden for him.
/ Number one, who had shaved her six
teen hours day for fifteen years, lad
brought up at the insane asylum for
five years longer. Number two soon
broke down, and was long a helpless
and unwelcome burden. Uncle Ste.
rhen, as people called him, had seen
trouble, and his wives had not been
exempt. ~.
Stephen feelingly remarked that he
would rather have lost the best COW
he had" and neighbOr replied that
"he hadn't doubt of it,
Stephen drove around to zee the
man who dug graves, and asked his
price. He was new hand, and Ste,
phen felt that his charge was exorbi.
tant, as the ground was in such good
condition for digging. He told what
he had always been in the habit o
paying, and finally they compromised
The funeral made the customary de
corous stir in the rural community
where there is little to break in upor
the even tenor of ones way, and ther
the world settled back in its olC
grooves again.
But poor Stephen could not settle
II seemed quite the other way Will
him, as long as Miranda Jones was t,
be the head Of his house. Mirand,
was an cid maid, of very uncertain
age, who wore spectacles, sported th
most astonishing csps, and talked o
. the "wickeduess Of men continually
But she was the only housekeeper tha
could be had Cor money. And tha
grim, wiry woman must have whit
sugar in her tea, three times day
and plenty OF il !? Stephen could nc
perceive that ii sweetened her any
but dim vision OF the poor-hous
loOmed up before him, and not in th
far prospective either.
There vas one sure remedy for b
ills; he could marry again. Il
smiled, grimly, as he thought of NJ
randas surprise, at seeing a new hea
of the house walk in, when she doub